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LAS VEGAS – Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton put on a pure wrestling match at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night in Las Vegas and the looming distraction was mostly eliminated.
Pat McAfee entered the ring with Orton to begin the match. The ESPN commentator’s presence was clearly a sore point for fans, as he received some of the loudest boos of the night at Allegiant Stadium. He attacked Rhodes with a microphone to start the match.
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Pat McAfee greets fans from the ring on the first night of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Once Rhodes got his bearings, he pushed Orton aside and turned his attention to McAfee. He cleared the announce table and placed McAfee on top. He allowed Jelly Roll to elbow the former NFL player. McAfee was booed as he was carried out of the arena on a stretcher.
The match finally started. It moved at a slow pace, but calculated for the most part. Rhodes, who normally doesn’t attack his sick opponents, continued to work on Orton’s back throughout the match. The crowd watched in silence as Rhodes and Orton traded blows and tried to gain the advantage of each other.
It wasn’t until Rhodes shoved Orton into the ring post outside the circle that the crowd finally woke up. Orton was opened. Rhodes tried to steal Orton’s finisher and RKO him but was countered. Orton then stole Rhodes’ tactic and hit “The American Nightmare” with a Cross Rhodes.
Moments later, Rhodes finally hit Orton with an RKO. But still, there is no fall. Orton responded with an RKO of his own. He could smell his 15th WWE championship, but Rhodes kicked him out.
Cody Rhodes reacts before his WWE Undisputed Championship match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 on April 18, 2026 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton caught Rhodes again and hit him again with an RKO. The match continued and Charles Robinson finally received an RKO. There was no referee. Orton tried to kick Rhodes in the groin, reminiscent of what McAfee did to him on SmackDown a few weeks ago.
Rhodes responded and instead kicked Orton in the groin. Rhodes climbed to the top rope as Orton came out of nowhere with the RKO once again. There was no referee to count, until McAfee miraculously recovered.
McAfee ran to the ring and counted for Orton, but Rhodes kicked out at two.
McAfee tried to yell at Orton to continue his attack, but Orton hit an RKO on McAfee. Rhodes took advantage of Orton taking his eyes off the ball for a split second. Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes and pinned Orton to win and retain the championship.
The exhausted and bloodied competitors caught their breath in the ring, but Orton was far from done. He grabbed the belt from Rhodes and hit him with it.
Randy Orton steals the belt from Cody Rhodes before Rhodes defeated Orton during their match for the WWE Undisputed Championship on the first night of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton ended the night with a punt to Rhodes’ head, ending Night 1.
